Such was the King at the outset. In less than twenty years he had
become another man. At the age of twelve he had married at his
father's command, and solely for political and mercenary reasons,
Catharine of Aragon, his brother Arthur's widow (S333), who was six
years his senior. Such a marriage was forbidden, except in certain
cases, by the Old Testament and by the ordinances of the Roman
Catholic Church.
The Pope, however, had granted his permission, and when Henry ascended
the throne, the ceremony was performed a second time. Several
children were the fruit of this union, all of whom died in infancy,
except one daughter, Mary, unhappily fated to figure as the "Bloody
Mary" of later history (S374).